3-star DL Tre’von Riggins Commits to Illini’s 2020 class
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Just a few days after securing its quarterback future with a commit from Lakewood High School in St. Petersburg, Illinois went back to that school to increase its defensive line depth.
Tre’von Riggins, a three-star defensive lineman who spent his final season of high school football playing with quarterback Gregory ‘Deuce’ Spann after transferring from IMG Academy, announced his verbal pledge to Illinois’ 2020 recruiting class on Twitter Sunday afternoon.
Riggins becomes the 12th commitment to Illinois’ 2020 class and the fifth in the state of Florida and the 280-pound defensive lineman said on Twitter he’ll be signing his National Letter-of-Intent during the early period on Wednesday (the first day he’ll be allowed to do so) at Lakewood High School.
Riggins, who was primarily recruited by defensive line coach Austin Clark and safeties coach Keynodo Hudson (both are Tampa, Fla., natives), is rated by 247Sports.com as the 70th-best defensive tackle in the 2020 class. It is likely the Illinois coaching staff sees Riggins, listed between 6-foot-1 to 6-foot-2 and 265 to 280 pounds, being able to possibly contribute early in his career as a big defensive end who could help set the edge against the run. However, it isn’t illogical to see Riggins’ future at the athletic defensive tackle position after a season or two in Lovie Smith’s defensive scheme.
Riggins made a campus visit to Illinois on Oct. 18 to watch the Illini knock off then-No. 6 Wisconsin 24-23 in a dramatic come-from-behind upset. Riggins verbally committed to Miami (Fla.) in Jan. 2018 but seemingly kept his recruitment open after that pledge. The defensive tackle prospect chose Illinois over scholarship offers from Miami (Fla.), Florida, Tennessee, Florida State and Arizona State.
Illini Maven/SportsIllustrated documented last week how Illinois is actively trying to restock its defensive line depth with this 2020 class. Of the 12 commitments of the Illini’s 2020 class, four are defensive linemen and Illinois is attached to the recruiting efforts of at least two more three-star prospects including flipping Maryland commit Jerzhan Newton, a native of Clearwater, Fla., and being involved in trying to flip Georgia Tech commit JaQuari Wiggles.
The wild card in the progression of this Illinois 2020 class is the acquisition of Spann. The 6-foot-4 and 194-pound dual-threat quarterback, who announced on Twitter Friday afternoon his intention to verbally commit to Illinois, has connections to a lot of players in the Tampa/St. Petersburg market that has always intrigued former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith. It is believed Spann has a friendship of Newton, who visited the Illinois campus from Dec. 6-8 and could reach out to other prospects. Illinois is trying to get seriously involved in the recruitment of three-star safety Derek Bermudez of Jacksonville, Fla., and three-star Clearwater, Fla., defensive lineman Wesley Bailey.